Tripping twice (or a thousand times) on the same stone

I have spoken several times on this blog about waiting lists, and this time I want to start with public recognition of the transparency exercise undertaken by the Generalitat. Even when the data isn’t good, there is no doubt that transparency is essential in a mature society that aspires to progress. Unlike many, I like to recognise and appreciate other people’s work when they do things right.

The publication of the waiting lists by department may have generated a certain level of controversy and debate, but these advances in transparency by the public institutions are fundamental in order to search for solutions to the problems: just like in Healthcare, when there is a clear diagnosis, the correct treatment can be applied. If you cheat at Solitaire, you’ll always be deceived.

The information made public by the Conselleria de Sanidad (Department of Health) has allowed us to learn that there are hospitals with an average waiting list of five months (154 and 140 days). And given that the average is almost half a year, that means that there are people who wait a year or more… something which is incomprehensible in the year 2020. The average waiting time in the Community of Valencia is 86 days, which is a slightly better figure in comparison to last year, which shows that, beyond the inefficient government policies, the professionals are always committed to offering good healthcare to the citizens. For them to have the necessary tools is another story. As the regional secretary stated at an appearance, “operations don’t take place in the offices, they take place in the operating theatres”. I couldn’t agree more.

However, beyond these general details, there are two points that I would like to highlight. The data provided by the Department of Health clearly reflects that the concession model significantly contributes towards the reduction of average waiting times, with tremendously favourable and positive data. I have read some comments that question these figures, coming from people that I have not seen in my day-to-day work in healthcare management during 30 years of experience in the sector, ladies and gentlemen that have never asked or learned about the reality of healthcare offered by the public-private collaboration model. In politics, as in almost all scopes of life, we must first learn the reality in order to later have a valid opinion and not just talk about what we’ve heard or follow scripts, which, by the way, are written by more people who have never seen the reality of what they are now discussing as though they are authorities on the subject.

These types of people are the ones who believe that the best way to hide the failure of their management is to question the success of others. Mediocracy is a way of life for some. What a shame.

Well, let me tell you that the Department of Health itself recognises, in this publication of waiting lists by health department, that the Ribera Salud hospitals are positioned among the top three in the Community of Valencia. That is to say, at our hospitals, citizens wait for half the amount of time than the average in hospitals in our region and up to four times less than the longest waiting lists. The numbers are stubborn.

There is another point of information that must be highlighted and that is interesting to analyse in this scope of Healthcare: the decreased quality of care at Hospital de la Ribera just 20 months after the Department of Health took over direct management. The waiting lists have moved from 57 to 78 days in less than two years, and those who wait for longer than 90 days have tripled in number, despite having hired almost 900 people. And this is only just getting started, despite the commendable work that I know the professionals at La Ribera are carrying out. The fact that something (or many things) are failing is evident.

I know that some people find it difficult to understand that it is important to have an open mind in order to seek new formulas that can help us, as a society, to improve the healthcare system and, above all, to make it sustainable over time. We must be flexible. And brave. To publish the waiting lists by department might be the first step, but bravery is necessary in order to make decisions.

If there are many indicators that clearly describe a situation, the problem is not the data but rather the underlying cause behind the data. I understand that I can get repetitive about these types of analyses, but it is necessary because sometimes we are forced to undertake positive pedagogy. When we talk about waiting lists, we’re not talking about numbers but about people.

This leads me to the appearance by the regional secretary of healthcare technology and efficiency, Concha Andrés, on February 10th, where the solution she suggested for current waiting lists was to send patients to hospitals with shorter waiting times. Given that she has not contacted either of the Ribera Salud hospitals, both positioned among the three hospitals with the shortest waiting times, I will take this opportunity to offer the healthcare clinics in our group to help them to improve the waiting times for patients in the Community of Valencia.

Cataracts, bunions, hernias and whatever is required in Traumatology, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology or General Surgery. I’m sure that may of these ailments with the longest waiting lists are suffered by older patients, and we cannot allow political prejudice to have a negative impact on those who deserve our utmost respect for everything they have contributed, and continue to contribute, to our society.

For this reason and for the good of all of our citizens, I will never stop trying to be constructive and positive and trying to build bridges and collaborations with the public administration, always in favour of quality, efficient and sustainable healthcare.

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